---
title: "SQL Server Native Client ODBC Data Sources | Microsoft Docs"
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ms.date: "03/14/2017"
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  - "data sources [SQL Server Native Client]"
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---
# SQL Server Native Client ODBC Data Sources
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md.md)]

  A [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] data source name (DSN) identifies an ODBC data source containing all of the information that an ODBC application needs to connect to a [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] database on a specific server. There are two ways you can define an ODBC data source name:  
  
-   On a client computer, open Administrative Tools in Control Panel, and double-click **Data Sources (ODBC)**. This will open the ODBC Data Source Administrator, which you can use to create a DSN.  
  
-   In an ODBC application, call [SQLConfigDataSource](../../relational-databases/native-client-odbc-api/sqlconfigdatasource.md).  
  
 A [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] data source contains:  
  
-   The name of the data source.  
  
-   Any information needed to connect to a specific instance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)].  
  
-   The default database to use on a specific instance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] (optional).  
  
-   Settings such as which ANSI options to use, whether to log performance statistics, and so on (optional).  
  
 An ODBC application is not required to connect through a data source. However, the application must provide the same connectivity information to an ODBC connect function that the driver would otherwise find in a DSN.  
  
## See Also  
 [Communicating with SQL Server (ODBC)](../../relational-databases/native-client-odbc-communication/communicating-with-sql-server-odbc.md)